Questions to Ask Any Agent

1. How long have you been in residential real estate in our area? If they have not been in local real estate for several years, they have not been involved in the cyclical market that has defined our market to date. Along with this, ask how many transactions they average per year. One agent could have been in business 10 years and have only closed 30 transactions, while another agent could have been in business 5 years, yet closed 500 plus transactions. Experience is relative to the amount of business the agent does.

2. What is your procedure for assisting a buyer from beginning to closing? Make sure that the agent has a precise presentation for you that explains exactly how they work and how they represent only you and your best interests.

3. What is your experience with financing alternatives, and what might they be in my situation? Each buyer's situation is different. We can literally put you in a much better financial situation with the same monthly payments simply by adjusting the financing. You might have many alternatives. Don't depend solely on the lender. Your agent should lead the way.

4. How do you determine my qualifications and when? You would be shocked at how rare it is for an agent to complete your qualifications right away. Even so, it is important to have this done early in the process. This way you are ready to make a strong offer at a moment's notice, increasing your chances for not only finding, but buying the home of your dreams.

5. How do you provide me with information on new homes for sale? Your agent should have a system that automatically updates you when new homes meeting your criteria come on the market.

6. What is your negotiating philosophy, and how do you apply it to me? This is important. Play close attention to how many transactions the agent does per year. More is better. The more transactions the agent closes, the more experience they have in negotiating just about every situation that could come up.

7. How do you find the best value for me? How do you make sure it is a good value? This is important because the agent should have some immediate and concise answers as to how they accomplish this for you. They should have systems in place and be able to explain them to you.

8. How do you protect me from the extensive costs that lenders, title companies, inspectors and others charge a home purchaser? The typical answer is that these charges are just normal. Make sure that the agent has relationships with companies that can offer you good service and some discounts. Also make sure that the agent has an immediate knowledge of what typical costs are.

9. Can you sell us a new, resale or foreclosed home? Most agents will answer affirmatively, but you should follow up with questions about specific builders and areas.

There are many more questions to ask, this is just a sampling. Do you have a specific question you would like answered? Let us know by clicking here!

Lea Williams

Client Testimonials

We were very nervous first time home buyers. Lea was very patient and never gave up on us. Her knowledge and experience helped us find the right house, and her tough negotiation skills helped us afford it. Lea obviously cares first and foremost about her clients. I cannot express how thankful we were to have her in our corner. Thanks Lea!

K.L. & M.S.

My family had an incredible experience working with Lea Williams from Sotheby’s and I personally feel lucky to have her as a new friend and agent. We were new to the Coeur d’Alene area; we had a 1,001 questions ranging from neighborhoods to what are the “best” schools for my boys. The whole task and underlying process appeared to be daunting, prior to Lea entering the picture. She simply took the time to understand my family’s needs, she developed a comprehensive plan and we literally spent the next 4 weeks identifying the right house for our family. Lea was always thoughtful in her approach, very responsive and we never felt rushed over that 4 week period. We honestly could not be happier with the process and end result. If you are a prospective home buyer who is relocating to the Coeur d’Alene area, I highly recommend Lea Williams.

C. & K. B.

Lea Williams is an excellent and dedicated real estate agent who is very knowledgeable about the real estate market in the Coeur d’Alene and Northern Idaho areas. She worked with us for nearly a year in our search for land on which to build a home. She also showed us many completed homes in areas we liked in the event we decided not to build. Despite this long, tedious process, Lea never lost her enthusiasm to help us find “that perfect place”. Finally, we did find it – thanks to Lea! We would strongly recommend her to anyone in need of a qualified and personable real estate agent and we look forward to working with her again someday.

K. & T. B.

Working with Lea was a pleasure. She was available to us by email, phone and text and always responded promptly. With Lea on our side, she managed to make a short sale move along as swiftly as any other real estate transaction. Our sale was under $100k but she made us feel like we were buying a million dollar mansion. We will be certain to call Lea as we trust her and have confidence in her. Thank You.

C. & L. K.

Lea Williams is an exceptional agent and an absolute pleasure to work with. Her knowledge of the local market was instrumental in helping us find our dream home. Every step of the way, Lea was organized, thoughtful, and professional in her approach. She is our first and only recommendation to anyone looking to buy or sell a home in the area.

M.T.

Lea helped us out a lot. We went through USDA and it took about 6 months but she had patience and guided us through the whole process and always had helpful information.

M. & D.O.

We worked with Sarah and Lea to complete the purchase of a home. While Sarah was our primary contact she made it clear that she was working with Lea and used her as an expert resource. Lea was always available and made invaluable suggestions throughout the negotiation process that helped strengthen our negotiating position. I am convinced that without her help we would not have been able to negotiate the complex process nor would we have been in as strong a negotiating position. Even at closing and beyond she has provided helpful suggestions for us and has remained in touch. She is a consummate professional.

P. & D.L.

Lea Williams was very helpful to me in my search for a new home. Whatever questions I had , she was always there with an answer and if she did not know the answer, she researched it until she found the answer. Every step of the way she was there because, it seemed I always needed help. She is very wise when it comes to selling and buying. I would highly recommend Lea to anyone I know for a very positive experience. I also believe, she became a friend in the process.

R.R.

This being my first house purchase, Lea went far beyond her job title to make sure everything went as smooth as possible. It was a fun/great experience all thanks to Lea Williams. Thank you for everything.

J.A.

Lea Williams is wonderful! She worked hard for us to get us into our new home in an extremely short amount of time. Lea was always available when we had questions and she was always a pleasure to work with!

T. & S.M

Lea was very knowledgeable throughout the entire home buying/building process. Her expertise, knowledge and personal connections proved to be very valuable. She made what could have been a stressful situation a positive experience.

N.G.

Moving to Idaho brought its own challenges as we searched the web and spent countless hours looking for an area, a community and a home we could call our own. Finding a real estate professional as we did in Lea Williams proved to be a great move. Lea quickly earned our respect and trust as she took the time to listen and understand our specific requirements. House hunting on the Internet initially looks great, but you really need a Real Estate Professional that has your back, can negotiate a good deal and can protect you from trouble. My wife and I love our home/properties, our community and couldn’t have done it without you.

L. & J.J.

Lea was amazing. We are from out of state and were lucky enough to find her. Her knowledge of the area and willingness to show us a variety of homes made finding the perfect home a breeze. I would highly recommend Lea without hesitation.

T. & J.K.

My wife and I were trying to buy a summer home and eventually retire in it. We chose Coeur D’ Alene and we lucky enough to get to work with Lea Williams and her awesome partner Sarah Griffin. We had to drive her crazy looking at so many properties. Sarah made up a beautiful folder for each one with more information about it than we could digest. The service and expert, professional care we were given was way beyond expectations. We live in Arizona and the communication and follow up was great and this team of ladies never left us hanging. When anything close to what we wanted was available they made sure we had all the information. We finally landed on a Condo and made the purchase site unseen and only relying on the pictures and the trust in Sarah and lea that it was a great place. Sarah even did the walk through for us. This ended up being a flawless process and a great place with a great deal. I can’t stress enough for anyone who is looking for a realtor in Coeur D’ Alene that you better contact Lea Williams and Sarah Griffin for the best experience and professional care you would want. We now have a realtor for life for all our needs. Thanks to Lea and Sarah for all you do.

F. & B.C.

My husband & I are elated with the service, style and talent of the duo Lea Williams & Sarah Griffin! From the first phone call returned within minutes of my initial inquiry to the final purchase document signing, Lea & Sarah were polished professionals. In the 5 months we worked together, each of our numerous phone calls, emails & texts were addressed with patience, courtesy, expertise, insightful input and unrelenting pleasantness. As transplants to Northern Idaho, my husband & I needed more info than a local buyer, but Lea & Sarah were always available for any question. A superlative rating was well-earned by each of these women.

M. & S.C.

We have had Lea help us out on two separate occasions. As a deployed Soldier, it was a blessing to have an agent like Lea who took care of my wife and kids while I was away both times. She is one of the most professional agents I have ever had the privilege to work with. I will immediately recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell as she has become a member of my family.

R. & J.S.

Lea’s expertise was evident in every step of the transaction to purchase a new home. Though we were out of town for most of the process, she made sure we were constantly updated on the progress of the sale. She coordinated all the moving parts and made everything go smoothly from start to finish.

C. & C.M.

After thoughtful planning for over a year, we were ready to pull the trigger on our move from North Dakota to Coeur d’Alene, ID. Lea Williams was referred to us from a friend and we couldn’t have been happier! She made our move from one state to another a seamless transition. Lea was extremely responsive and we never had to worry if she was going to follow-through with what she said she was going to do. We highly recommend Lea to anyone planning to purchase real estate in the North Idaho area!

D. & M.K.

Lea came to us via a personal letter seeking a listing of our home. The letter was the most professional we had seen so we arranged a meeting. She impressed us with her professional approach and demeanor. She was the only REALTOR® who kept us advised and made a genuine effort to market our home. She was successful and we couldn’t recommend her more highly.

T.F. & M.F.

Lea – We sure appreciate all the work you went to, to get our cabin and lot sold. Since we live so many miles from the property, it was necessary to have someone like you represent us in its sale. And, I might add, you were recommended by one of your former clients.

D. & L. T.

There are so many REALTORS® to choose from, how do you pick the right one? Listen to what they say and check out their background. When you do, you will come to the same conclusion that we did…Lea Williams. Lea is a professional that should be the standard for the industry. She knew our property. She understands buyers and sellers, and she followed up on all showing. Lea was at every showing and all potential buyers had been qualified. Lea’s promotional materials were outstanding. It’s your choice… choose wisely. Good luck, but whatever you do, interview Lea Williams.

J. & J. A.

We had property listed with Lea when my husband asked for a divorce. I was in a meltdown and unfortunately I pulled Lea right into the middle of the drama. She was wonderful. She remained professional and was very kind and patient with the whole thing. She showed me multiple places where I could make my new home, all the while selling our listed condo. Thank You, Lea!

J. L.

Working with Lea was a pleasure. She proved to be very knowledgeable about the market in our particular area and provided excellent market exposure for our home. One of the most important things I appreciated about Lea was the fact that she was always accessible and kept in close contact throughout the selling process. We were selling our home due to job relocation and had lots of stressful things going on. Lea was always understanding of our situation and very patient in listening to our ideas and answering our questions. She was always encouraging and upbeat while at the same time making sure we were realistic about what to expect given the market situation. I believe that we found the best REALTOR® for us.

J. & A. J.

We are delighted to recommend Lea Williams as a realtor extraordinary. After spending two years with two other realtors, we were fortunate to meet Lea. Lea is very professional and personable. She goes out of her way to cover all aspects of a sale. As a result, our property sold very quickly. If you would like to make a quick sale, call Lea Williams of Tomlinson Sotheby’s.

M. & R.B.

ea and her team were the best from start to finish. She knows the changing market very well and had the experience to sell my house quickly and professionally. The house was marketed right away with great photos and many r/e websites and I got an offer quickly. She made sure the buyer was serious and qualified and saw the deal close within a reasonable time frame. I highly recommend Lea!

T.W.

We are a military family and were assigned to work with Lea through an USAA program. After our extremely bad experience buying our home, we were nervous and worried about having to deal with Realtors again. So glad that we went through the process with her. She did anamazing job getting pictures that made our home attractive, and had it listed and sold within a month. Lea was easy to reach and kept us in the loop with everything. I actually understood what was going on this time around. Looking forward to moving back home and with Lea’s help finding a home that matches our family. If you want results and and honest person to get them for you, I recommend Lea as one of north Idaho’s best.

J. & R.S.

Lea handled the sale of our property with precision detail. Outstanding in all aspects of taking care of business. Dealt directly with our property management team so everything went smoothly. Covered all the bases so no problems for us to deal with especially since we live out of state. It was always pleasant dealing with Lea & she kept us informed every step of the way. We plan on using Lea again since she is so successful in handling business & we don’t have to worry about anything.

L.K.

Lea is a truly professional real estate agent. She is extremely knowledgeable, positive, and responsive to her clients. Our experience with Lea, as an agent, places her with the top agents in North Idaho.

J. & J.A.

I had attempted to sell our house twice before so had some basis for comparison of realtors. This time I qualified multiple realtors, narrowed it down to 3 and asked each to respond to list of questions on the property and sales process. Lea’s response was head and shoulders above in thoroughness and content. She had strong opinions on staging and marketing the house and on price. All turned out to ring true. The photographers she hired did an outstanding job promoting the property. We got two full price offers one sight unseen based on the photos. Lea managed the ensuing bidding process and relationship between the ultimate buyer and seller very professionally. Her responsiveness and follow up were impressive. I would recommend her highly.

J. & K.R.

My husband and I were referred to Lea by a local real estate agent for the sale of our cabin in Idaho. Our first moment of “wow” was after seeing the professional pictures taken. Second “wow” was the signage and beautiful brochures that were at the cabin. Among many other efforts by Lea such as her extensive marketing, I believe that she is the reason our cabin sold…and at full price! We truly felt like we were in Lea’s top priority throughout our entire sale. Communication was always prompt and we were always kept up to date on everything going on. Lea went above and beyond to make this completely effortless for us, including coming to our hometown for closing documents. Lea also represented the buyers in the deal which happened to be our good friends. Because of Lea’s professionalism, a situation that could have been awkward and uncomfortable with our friends was one that couldn’t have went better. We felt that Lea had both parties in their best interest. The deal ended with both parties being extremely happy with the final offer. We will continue working with Lea as we search for our next cabin. My husband and I highly recommend Lea Williams for any real estate needs.

J. & T.S.

It was a true pleasure working with you to sell my condo at Twin Lakes Village. You kept me up to date as the process went forward and always promptly returned my calls as I had questions and comments. You are the consummate real estate professional and will be given all referrals by anyone looking to find a fantastic Realtor!